Behavior 2: Build Trust
“Self-trust is the first secret of success … the essence of heroism.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
What are the reasons for trusting someone? Distrusting someone? Trusting in ourselves and our decisions? Why do we shy away from trust? How do we gain trust?
We begin by trusting ourselves. This is a choice we must make. To believe in ourselves, remain confident and know we will succeed. As servant leaders, living our values with our intentions and motives on a daily basis is a great way to build trust: being honest with ourselves, and our coworkers, and in our daily lives.
If you find it difficult to trust yourself, explore that. Did you make a mistake, are you not keeping up with your commitments, are you habitually late to meetings? How can you learn from these experiences? The key is to keep moving forward. Ignite the motivation to be better, to work on those mistakes, keep those deadlines and commit to being a better you. Take it one step at a time.
Along with trusting yourself, the work environment is a place where trust is vital. When working on a team, trusting others to complete tasks correctly and on time is no easy feat, but it’s something that can be practiced and achieved.
Distrust in a company is a waste of time and energy. As Stephen M.R. Covey explains, when trust goes down, processes are slower and costs go up. People spend more time double- checking work and finding faults in others.
When we let go of our doubts and actually walk the talk, that’s when trust surfaces. If you make a commitment, keep it. If you have a meeting, be there on time. When others see the respect you have for them and their time, they will catch on and mirror your behavior.
Our behaviors do have an impact and it’s important to stay the course. Show loyalty to your coworkers and extend trust to them. Be confident in their abilities. Take responsibility when you need to and expect the same from others.
Trust is increased when the wake you leave behind is one of exceptional results and positive relationships.
Social Media Consultant for Servant Leadership Institute